Yurok Tribe gains 125-acre redwood gateway in California land transfer

August 3, 2026 - 03:53

A significant stretch of ancient redwood land along the northern California coast has officially changed hands, with the Yurok Tribe now holding title to 125 acres that will serve as a public entry point to the region's towering forests. The transfer, completed through the nonprofit Save the Redwoods League, marks a major step in returning Indigenous stewardship to land that was taken from the tribe more than a century ago.

The property sits near the Klamath River, where the tribe has long worked to restore salmon runs and protect the surrounding watershed. According to tribal leaders, the acquisition is not just about land ownership but about healing the connection between the Yurok people and their ancestral territory. The area includes a stretch of Prairie Creek, a key tributary for coho salmon and steelhead trout, and the tribe plans to remove old logging roads and replant native vegetation to improve water quality and fish habitat.

For visitors, the land will eventually offer a new gateway to the redwoods, with trails and interpretive signs that tell the story of Yurok history and the ongoing restoration work. The tribe has said it will manage the property with a focus on both cultural preservation and public access, balancing traditional practices with the needs of the growing number of people who come to see the giant trees each year.

Save the Redwoods League, which purchased the property in 2013, had been holding it until the tribe was ready to take over. The transfer is part of a broader effort to return land to Native American tribes across the country, a movement that has gained momentum in recent years. For the Yurok, this is one of several parcels they have reacquired, and they hope it will serve as a model for future collaborations between conservation groups and Indigenous nations.